It was a big one. We had two services, two sacraments, and two crying Americans, and a congregation full of people gathered together for the glory of God. Amen.
Today it was so much fun to be a pastor at Uswaa. I got to preach, baptize, and share bread and wine with this amazing community. I got to listen to this congregation sing and laugh and praise God. I suppose because I’m leaving in three days it all seemed so much bigger and more sacred. I just wanted to push pause and stay in that moment a little bit longer.
I really sort of thought I was ready to go home, ready to see my family, my church, and sleep in my own bed again. Today during worship I just started to think that in so many ways these people are my family too, this is my church too, and this bed I’ve been sleeping in for the last 12 weeks is really quite comfortable. All of these thoughts were followed by more tears.
Earlier in the summer Evi wrote me this note that said “may this time be worth of your heart.” Today in that worship service I just kept playing those words back over and over in my mind.
It is.
It has been.
It will continue to be.
My heart is just all soaked up in the love and hospitality of this place.
So get ready, I’m coming back to share it with you!
I am not surprised that you realized that you will miss that place. I have known that from your writing for a long time. Mom
ReplyDeleteThe people crying with you would be too many to count!
ReplyDeleteI should have kept track of how many times I teared up while reading these posts. What will I do without the daily dose of humanity that I get from reading your work. Mary
ReplyDelete